FASHION FACE-OFF: RIHANNA VS NICOLE

Stylish celebs Rihanna and Nicole Richie each have a knack for making every look their own. So when they recently wore the same dress, the results were very different.

Who wore it better?

Amazing new video from Waje - I WISH

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GAGA.....

Today, Lady Gaga can have real cake and eat it too as she celebrates her 27th birthday. While the pop singer may be partying on a golden wheelchair as she recovers from hip surgery, her Little Monsters have taken to Twitter to make sure that she has plenty of well-wishes to keep her spirits up.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GAGA............

GOSSIP, AMEBO, ASIRI !!!...........YES YOU.

GOSSIP!!! One act most of us engage in knowingly and unknowingly. Most of us can't even live without engaging in such activity on a daily basis. For a real Nigerian its not called gossip rather AMEBOR!!! 

According to Vincent Adepoju the Nigerian Pidgin English term  "Amebo" can be said to demonstrate the positive and negative potential of communication beyond its role in fulfilling the most immediate needs  as a fundamental human quality and value.

However  Bella Naija's post "Amebo-Yes, I'm Talking to You"  gave a clear explanation of Amebo. As a  noun she described it as a person, mostly a woman, of Nigerian descent, of questionable, cowardly character and low morals, esp. one who delights in EXTREMELY idle talk; an unproductive individual; a silly twat and as a verb, Amebo, is to concern oneself about other people’s affairs; to go about causing havoc by spreading false or private information; to be cowardly as to not being able to stand by comments or information that one has made. Similarly it examines its expanded generic meaning as it entered into Nigerian public discourse as referring to gossip, in relation to personal and public demonstrations of this phenomenon in different parts of the world. 

Personally, its just an individual who is either idle or jobless that carries out conversations, reports and information about other people that are not confirmed as being true. A simple nonentity. 

Please describe gossip or an amebo in your words. 

PRESIDENT GOODLUCK AND GOOD FRIDAY...

President Goodluck Jonathan today joined Christians worldwide in celebrating the Good Friday, a day set aside to mark the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. He attended a special service for the day at the Aso Villa Chapel alongside his mother, Eunice, and a few presidential aides. The President led the opening prayer of the service which was conducted by his Chaplain, Ven. Obioma Onwuzurumba. He prayed for peace in the country and all parts of the world.

GENEVIEVE NNAJI WITHOUT MAKE UP

The amazing actress posted this photo on her instagram page yesterday. With or without make up I think she still looks amazing. What do you think?

ANNIE AND TUFACE WEDDING VOWS REVEALED.

This wedding vows makes me believe one person is entirely more in love than the other. One shares feelings while the other writes lyrics. Annie Idibia has via Facebook uploaded the vows she said to her husband Tuface on her wedding day in Dubai last weekend.
It was immediately followed by Tuface’s reply to her.
Read their vows…
“I stand before you today as open as I can ever be, humbled by the light and love in your eyes. 13 years ago, I met the most amazing man on earth! I flew on the wings of that love, uncaring, unheeding! Believing firmly that you are and will always be the wind beneath my wings
Life happened, oh yes Life happened but through it all my heart beat only for you!My heartbreak became my greatest joy! My strength! My life! Day after day I am more in love with you!
When people ask me what is love! I say Love is right here! This moment! This second! Today! Tomorrow! Love is you! Love is real! Love is my eternity with you Innocent Ujah Idibia

2Face, 

Annie I give you all of me today knowing that in you and you only has this imperfect girl found perfection!!!I do 13 years ago when I met you, I do seven years ago, I do five years ago when we created our daughter! I do through all the blogs and tabloid headlines

And on this day, at this very second I stand in front of the world and I say I do take you as my wedded husband! I love you!
I love you so much, so so much”
Annie Idibia.
2face’s vows to wife Annie
Many years ago I was farther than the eyes could see.
Now we are now in that future
When I look into your eyes, I still see
You came into my life and you lit it up
Like the sun, like the moon, like the stars
All the words in the dictionary
All the words in this world can not be enough
To say what my heart feels for you.
But all I can say is baby, my heart is like a stereo right now
And it will beat only for you till death do us part.
I love you baby.
Innocent Idibia.

Do you think their love is for real. Please share your thoughts.

KIM KARDASHIAN SPEAKS OUT.

My heart honestly goes out to kim Kardashian who has apparently decided to speak out, saying the alleged tweet was not from her twitter handle, she also confirmed that it was probably framed and that she would never post a tweet like that about Nigeria. Poor her..............................THE PRICE YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR BEING A CELEBRITY!!!

KIM KARDASHIAN CALLS NIGERIAN WOMEN APES

 

Immediately I saw the diss by the American reality TV star Kim Kardashian on my sister's display picture,I was simply annoyed. All I could think of was; how could she have done that and what could have resulted in her saying such words to our beautiful women. She allegedly called Nigerian women apes. She also allegedly described Nigeria as a disgusting country.

Kim was alleged to have made these comments on twitter some moments ago which has been deleted.

The alleged tweet reads, "Nigeria is such a disgusting country, I couldn't wait to leave. Lol scot said their women look like apes and I agree."

Already, she has been receiving loads of insults from Nigerians on twitter.
Even in my anger I noticed something was amiss in the purported tweet, as the blue “verified” check mark was absent from the right side of her name.
A rep for Kim Kardashian, has however  confirmed that the tweet was indeed a FAKE.
The spokesperson also stated that, “This wasn’t tweeted from her account. She never tweeted this.”
Kardashian visited Nigeria in February to host a a concert with R&B singer Darey Art Alade.
PHOTOS – Kim Flies to Nigeria

GENOTYPE AND TECHNOLOGY IN NIGERIA.

I recently read about a very sensitive issue in an article on Vanguard Newspaper relating to sickle cell patients and how technology can be used as a measure. Even as i read through all i could think of was the amout of people that are affected by sickle cell and the pain they go through each day.Imagine an environment like ours where health care is not given attention, how do children survive the pain especially when they come from poor homes.

This was addressed by Dr. Godwin Bazuaye who is a consultant dermatologist and specialist in bone marrow transplants. He graduated from the University of Benin and trained in the same school. He later went to Switzerland for sub-specialization in bone marrow transplantation. Currently, he is head of Human Dermatology and Co-ordinator of Stem Cell Transplant Unit at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH.

He recently stated how the hospital successfully completed two stem cell transplants and how Nigerians can benefit from the technology locally, rather than going abroad to change their genotype, especially sickle cell patients.  The body accept new cells to be transplanted. In this unit, you can change the genotype of a child or an individual from sickle cell to AA. You bring a primitive cell from a donor to a recipient. Before this time, you would have reduced the immunity in the patient to the barest minimum so that he can accept what you are giving to him, called stem cell. It can also be used for cancer patients. Major beneficiaries are sickle cell patients. Once it is done, they are no longer sicklers.
Similarly, they don’t collect blood from the veins;  needle is used on the bone marrow to bring out blood. Usually, the risk is very minimal. To the donor, there is no risk in the procedure, except the risk that has to do with going to the theatre. Apparently, the last patient was a 14 year-old boy. By the third day, he had gone home and he resumed school the next day. For the patient, the risk is very low, as it has to do with the hard drugs, which the body could react to. For the patient, they are placed on very high drugs in the course of destroying the bone marrow. It could lead to side effects reaction.

The therapy is used for both the sickle cell and blood cancer patients; in fact, anything that has to do with taking a cell from a donor to cure the patient. Really, for sickle cell patients, it is preferable when they are 15 years and below because when they are older, they tend to need a lot of blood transfusion, their organs may get damaged. Although, there is a new method we use for adult sickle cell patients; that is also to change their genotype to AS.
The only problem i have is with the cost of the treatment which he stated on the average, costs between N8m-N6m, depending on the number of supportive care. If there is  support of the Federal Government in the way of subsidising the equipments in a space that is big enough to take five to10 people at a time, then it will reduce the cost.

Although the procedure takes an average of three months or 100 days because at that period, you have a lot of tests and checks involved, though some may be discharged before one hundred days.

The therapy is good for both sickle cell and anything that has to do with cell transplant. This is the first in West Africa and third in the whole of Africa, after Egypt and South Africa. This can be replicated in the six geo-political zones. India for instance, has about 20 centres. An average of N1 billion should be able to set up a centre.
THIS IS HONESTLY A BRILLIANT DEVELOPMENT. WHAT DO YOU THINK?

NCC Begins Mobile Number Portability

I honestly can't wait to switch to another  network and still retain my phone number.....................yipeeee.
This was addressed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday who  listed roles expected of stakeholders, particularly telecoms subscribers towards making the scheme successful.
The Commission said while service providers and the regulator are getting set to roll out the service, certain important roles are expected from the subscribers using the over 113 million active telephone lines in the country who may want to port their numbers.
This service which is currently being practised in South Africa and in most countries in Europe, is to give subscribers the choice to move from their original network to another network, in search of better service quality. The subscriber also has the choice of returning to the initial network, if the service later improves.
The Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, recently assured of the readiness of the government to flag off the MNP service soon.
“We are going ahead with Mobile Number Portability, because it is going to give subscribers lots of choice and freedom. MNP will bring new dimension to the competition in the industry. All network operators will have to work harder to earn the trust of subscribers, because they will now have choices.
Similarly, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah, said that when a phone user feels that another operator can offer him a better service than his current operator, mobile number portability will allow him to move and enjoy the coverage, quality or tariff of the new operator while retaining his old number.
The number to be ported must be a SIM registered with the user’s current operator. The subscriber must physically visit the retail store/customer outlet of the new operator, a photo identification card must be presented to the new operator. This means, therefore, that there will be no proxy porting process. Also, a porting will be completed within 48 hours from the port request.

Already, the Commission had released the guideline detailing the rules and regulations for implementing an MNP service in Nigeria.

Do you think the Nigerian Communications Commission has implemented well? If you are thinking of changing your network, where would you be migrating to?

BUSINESS AND COMMUNICATION

A NOVELIST once wrote that: “You can tell the ideals of a nation by its advertisements.” Nigeria's ideals vary from place to place: the north is mostly Muslim, the south is mostly Christian or animist. Young and old, rural and urban, Ibo, Hausa and Yoruba: each group sees the world differently. So Nigerian advertisers must be both deft and sensitive.

As you walk by the streets of Lagos , you can't help but daze at the amount of adverts steering you in the face. Most of the Billboards are usually massive, eye catching and colourful. They simply make one interested in the product. I must give kudos to companies who have engaged their product in such services.

Despite a recent dip, advertising spending has quintupled in real terms between 2001 and 2010, to 98 billion naira ($646m), reckons mediaReach OMD, an ad agency (see chart). This reflects the emergence of a middle class with cash to spare for branded goods. Buoyed by high oil prices and a measure of economic liberalisation, GDP per person rose by 70% between 2000 and 2009, to $1,112. Wages are still low by rich-country standards, but many Nigerians are entrepreneurial.

Office workers save, buy a bus or a bar, put a cousin in charge and reap the profits. Then they flaunt it. Ads reveal which businesses are vibrant and competitive, and which are not. The most common business is small-scale agriculture, but its practitioners “don't advertise much”, notes Kelechi Nwosu of TBWA\Concept, another ad firm. Government ads are dull even by the low standards of official publicity worldwide—contracts often go to the connected, not the creative. That said, one of President Goodluck Jonathan's election slogans was pretty snappy: “I once had no shoes. If I can make it, you can too”.

The growing sectors are mobile phones, banks, beer and food. Mobiles have hit Nigeria like a storm . The number of connections has shot up from almost none in 2000 to 75m in 2009. Competition is bloody. Ads stress price (since Nigerians are both chatty and price-sensitive) and coverage (which is spotty).

According to Tolu Ogunkoya of mediaReach OMD. the next big thing will be digital ads, Facebook has 3m Nigerian users and will probably have 7m this year, he reckons. “It may overtake radio and press in the not-too-distant future,” he predicts. Any business that relies on Nigerians' love of socialising ought to do well.

With a high potential for economic growth , Nigeria is undergoing a lot of economic changes and rapid development which will even get better as the day goes by.

CAN SPAM MAILS BE CONSIDERED CRIMINAL?

If there were any doubt about the volume of internet scam in Nigeria, a recent research, which declared Nigeria as having the world’s most crime-riddled Internet service provider (ISP), would have cleared the doubt. The Nigerian-based ISP is SpectraNet, said the new research, which was conducted by Giovane Cesar Moreira Moura, at the Centre for Telematics and Information Technology in The Netherlands.

It says that 63 per cent of site addresses hosted on SpectraNet’s servers were found to be sending spam -- the highest proportion among 42,201 ISPs.

Crime tended to be concentrated in small areas. A single Indian ISP was found to be uniquely responsible for 7 per cent of the spamming website addresses in the world. Twenty of 42,201 ISPs monitored for Mr. Moreira Moura’s thesis created almost half of the world’s spam.

Moura suggests that online crime is distributed in a similar way to the real world with higher rates concentrated in particular neighbourhoods. The neighbourhood model has implications for cyber-security.

The idea behind the ‘Internet Bad Neighbourhood’ concept is that the probability of a host in behaving badly increases if its neighbouring hosts (i.e. hosts within the same sub-network) also behave badly. This idea, in turn, can be exploited to improve current Internet security solutions, since it provides an indirect approach to predict new sources of attacks (neighbouring hosts of malicious ones).

We contacted SpectraNet for comment but they had not responded by the time of publication.

Culled from Thisday , 19th March 2013.